1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to article holders. More specifically, the present invention relates to article holders mounted on gloves for allowing individuals to use electronic devices without needing to remove their gloves.
Many individuals enjoy listening to music or may need to consult a phone to use its GPS or answer a phone call while participating in outdoor activities, such as hiking or skiing. However, holding a small electronic device while undertaking these activities can be tiresome or dangerous. Strenuous outdoor activities are only made more difficult and less enjoyable by being forced to hold a small electronic device throughout the activity. Tightly holding an electronic device for an extended period of time can cause the user's hand can become cramped, can throw off the user's balance, and can be distracting. Many outdoor activities require the individual's undivided attention or else the activity becomes dangerous; if the user is overly concerned about dropping the phone during the activity, then the user may be not be devoting his or her full attention to the activity at hand. If individuals keep their electronic device in their pocket, rather than their hand, while performing an outdoor activity, there are no issues associated with carrying the device, but the individual may be forced to remove his or her gloves to retrieve the electronic device, exposing his or her hand to the elements.
A variety of technologies currently exist to allow individuals to mount articles on their gloves for easy access and retrieval. Some devices comprise a pouch or pocket mounted on the back of the user's glove that is capable of storing a variety of items. However, these devices are not specifically designed to accommodate a music-playing electronic device and lack an aperture through which a headphone cord may be inserted. Other types of devices comprise a hand-mounted cellphone carrier, but such devices lack multiple potential carrying options for the electronic device and further do not comprise full gloves designed to protect the wearer's hands from cold temperatures. Therefore there is a need in the prior art for a glove-mounted article carrier that is specifically designed to removably hold electronic devices for listening to music and also adequately protects the users' hands from inclement weather.
The present glove-mounted electronic device retention apparatus provides a new and novel means for allowing users to listen to music from their electronic device, while simultaneously participating in outdoor activities. The present invention comprises a glove with multiple holding pouches that are specifically designed to hold electronic devices such as smartphones and mp3 players. The multiple pouches allow the user to change the orientation of the music-playing electronic device depending upon the specific activity the individual is participating in. The present invention further has a transparent face that allows the user to see the screen of his or her electronic device, thereby allowing the device to be easily utilized without any need to remove the device from the pouch at any point. The present invention is also specifically designed to be used in outdoor environments. Therefore, the present glove-mounted electronic device retention apparatus addresses all of the issues present in the prior art.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to gloves with utility attachments. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to gloves having pockets or other attachments for holding devices. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device is U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,909 to Forrester, which discloses a glove having a zippered pocket. The storage compartment is integral to the device, with the outer side of the pocket forming the outermost side of the glove. The storage compartment may be used to store a wide variety of items. Unlike Forrester, the present invention is designed solely to hold electronic devices such as smartphones and mp3 music players and the present invention additionally has a transparent front cover for seeing the screen of the electronic device while it is in the pocket.
Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,637 to Lonon, which discloses a glove with a utility attachment for holding a wide array of items. The utility attachment is removably affixed to the outer portion of the glove using hook-and-loop fastener material. The pockets of the present invention are integrally connected with the glove and are not designed to be removable. Furthermore, the present invention is specifically designed to hold only a specific category of devices, i.e. electronics devices such as smartphones and mp3 players, whereas Lonon is designed to hold a wide range of devices.
Yet another such device is Published U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0210562 to Johnson, which discloses a retainer portion attached to the backside of a glove. The retainer is designed to hold game calls, which are used by hunters to attract game. This allows the user to utilize a game call without having to take his or her gloves off to retrieve the game call, which can be a very inconvenient process, especially in the winter. Like the present invention, Johnson is intended primarily for outdoor use. Both Johnson and the present invention allow users to utilize particular articles without having to remove their gloves, but the present invention is designed to hold electronics devices, not game calls.
Finally, Published U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0083979 to Daniels discloses a glove-like garment that fits over the user's hand and has a means for retaining a cell phone on the back area of the user's hand. The garment is preferably fingerless or has only short finger sections. The present invention comprises a full glove that covers the user's entire hand, including the fingers, as it is intended to be used outside during winter. The present invention also has means for holding a smartphone, or an mp3 music player, on either the palm or back sides of the glove. The Daniels device comprises only a single means for holding a phone on one side of the glove.
The present invention provides a new and novel glove having attached means for easily and comfortably retaining a smartphone or mp3 music player. There is alternately a pocket for holding the electronics device on either the palm or back sections of the glove, depending on the embodiment, allowing users to adjust the location of the electronic device depending upon the task the individual is currently undertaking. The present invention may further include a transparent face section for viewing the screen of the device that the user is currently utilizing. The device is designed to allow users to easily listen to music on their electronic devices and therefore includes a hole in the electronic device retaining pocket to allow earbuds to be plugged therethrough and a guide clip for securing the wire portion of the earbuds. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing glove-based article retention devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.